KPK slaps travel ban on Pelindo graft suspect

JAKARTA. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has imposed a travel ban on state-owned port operator PT Pelindo II's former president director, Richard Joost Lino, who has been named a graft suspect, the commission’s spokesman has said.

KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha said on Monday that the antigraft body submitted a travel ban request for Lino to the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s directorate general of immigration on Dec. 30.

“We requested the directorate general of immigration to impose a travel ban on RJL, starting from Dec. 30,” he told journalists.

The KPK named Lino a graft suspect in an alleged corruption case related to the procurement of three quay container cranes (QCC) in Pelindo II on Dec. 18. So far, the commission has not yet questioned Lino over the case.

Lino was allegedly misusing his authority to enrich himself by directly choosing to buy the three cranes from Chinese company Wuxi Huadong Heavy Machinery Co. Ltd. (HDHM) in 2010.

The KPK began questioning witnesses as part of its investigation into the case last week. Two witnesses who have been questioned are Dedi Iskandar, a senior official at Pelindo II’s planning and business development II sub-directorate, and Mashudi Sanyoto, the technical operations director of state-owned port equipment service company PT Jasa Peralatan Pelabuhan Indonesia (JPPI).

Lino filed a pretrial motion against his having been named a graft suspect with the South Jakarta District Court last week, in which his legal team asked the KPK to postpone his questioning.

Lino’s lawyer, Maqdir Ismail, said the KPK must postpone the questioning because his client’s pretrial hearing request was being processed.

"We have asked [the KPK] not to summon our client and to postpone his questioning," said Maqdir. However, he said he did not know when the KPK should question Lino.

KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo said last week that he had instructed the commission’s legal bureau to prepare a defense statement to bolster its position in the pretrial hearing.

"I have been briefed by the KPK legal team regarding the pretrial fight. We are ready to face it. We have prepared ourselves," Agus said on Tuesday.